There are no seasons in Colombia. 21 Things To Know Before You Visit Cartagena | Colombia's Walled City. Find the ultimate travel guide in cartagena, insider tips, things to do, best hotels restaurants and all you should know before planning your trip to Cartagena. This is in general the best option for price and location. 15 Best Things to Do in Cartagena Colombia. When visiting Cartagena, you may take notice of some fruit vendors. As we were backpacking for two years on a really tight budget, we were often happy to just turn up in a place, take our chances, and wander around trying to find a good deal at a hostel we liked the look of. Walking around Getseman after darkness falls, you will be offered drugs. Wake Up Early & Explore The Old Walled City of Cartagena Cartagena's Centro (old city) is a party town, no doubt. The countrys most famous author dreamed up many of his magical realist tales from a childhood and early journalistic career spent in Cartagena, and appreciating this adds a whole new layer to your strolls around it. In Colombia, this is known as "offering up a papaya." Do not walk around alone at night. We also have Punta Arena, a closer and nicer beach on Tierra Bomba Island just 7 min away. For anyone visiting Cartagena, not from the United States, youll need to pack your adapter with you. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The two-prong power sockets in Cartagena and throughout Colombia are the same as the US, but if youre coming from the UK or Europe youll need an adapter. The only problem now is that many many more people know about it; this was the biggest surprise to us on our second visit in 2019. Cartagena is sexy on the outside, but there are quite a few things one should be wary of before visiting. While Cartagena is nestled along the Caribbean coasts of Colombia, its beaches are far from white and sandy with pretty blue waters. Having said that, there is a fairly good and cheap public transportation system which includes the Transmilenio Bus for which you will need a Transcaribe Card which you can get at one of the many stations and works on a top up basis; and the buseta, smaller, older, more colorful and significantly less comfortable buses. Your post inspires me to make it more of a priority! Cartagenas Old City (Centro) is where tourists flock to stay, and for good reason. A polite but firm no, gracias will normally send touts away. Plan to have Google Translate downloaded and at the ready, in case you run into any language barriers. Hopefully, this re-balance of local vs tourist will prevent Cartagena from falling victim to over tourism. A city that sits right on the Caribbean Sea completely lacks a good beach. The Rosario islands are integrated by an archipelago of 27 islands; all with white sand, narrow beaches and warm turquoise waters. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If you do, just know that the photo is not free. This is because Cartagena is a tourism destination, whereas other cities have a wider range of things for foreigners to do on a budget. Though his books arent the easiest to read (I admit to putting down the book a few times before finally managing to finish it), a tour of Garcia Marquez Cartagena is a must! The best taxi app in Colombia is EasyTaxi, so use that instead of Uber. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Reservations are encouraged where you can make them! There is really loads to see and do in Cartagena in fact, much more than youd imagine. If thats you, then we strongly recommend investing in a travel filter water bottle which will purify water from any source and greatly reduce the amount of single-use plastic you use on your travels. Held every January, find further details here. Cards are Accepted, but Cash is Pesos 14. If you are unsure if you have the right outlet adapter, you can check out this adapter pack for your trip to Colombia and future travels. In late January and early February each year, one of the most important literary and cultural festivals in the country takes place in Cartagena: Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias takes place. Should you go? . On our second visit to Cartagena, we craved the heat. Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). However, of the place we visited in Colombia, Cartagena was by far the most English-friendly destination. Coca leaves are still chewed on the streets and available for tourists . For a more detailed list of things to do in Cartagena, head over to this post. Share The Article Last Updated 2 hours in the past. One day I packed my life and started traveling except I packed too much. With tourism becoming an important source of revenue in Cartagena, the price of services to tourists have been increasing, and even just looking around for a place to stay in town you will quickly realize that its not nearly as cheap as youd have hoped. Exploring Colombia: A Guide for US Citizens. 14. However, when you arrive or leave or if youre on the wrong side of town after dark, its good to know how taxis operate. We shouldnt really have trusted him, but we did - and it all worked out ok in the end. What Things Cost in Morocco | Is It Expensive? Someone told us before traveling to Cartagena to be prepared to change twice a day because of the heat and humidity. Keep Reading // We know that sourcing accommodation can be a little overwhelming, so weve put together a few time-saving articles for you: nine best hostels in Cartagena and our pick of the best airbnbs in Cartagena for every budget. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. In fact, it is probably the most expensive. The good news is that this is probably the most expensive city in Colombia, so if you are visiting Cartagena first, and then the rest of the country, you will be relieved to find more convenient prices. We highly recommend trying to enjoy the city before most of it wakes at least once on your visit. Cartagena Old City Accommodations:Soy Local|Casona del Colegio|Casa India Catalina, Getsemani Accomodations:Casa Pizarro Hotel Boutique|Hotel Monaguillo|Hotel Casa Tere, 13 Absolutely Amazing Things To Do in Salento, The Ultimate Colombia Itinerary & Trip Planner, All You Need To Know About the Cocora Valley Hike. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Cartagena is pretty hot and humid! The good news about safety in Colombia. Especially if you're visiting Cartagena for the first time, here's some things to keep in mind: Don't drink the tap water. This is probably the most surprising thing to learn when visiting Cartagena! Una foto publicada por Juan Ballena (@juanballenatravel) el 28 de Abr de 2016 a la(s) 5:23 PDT. Just be smart and aware of your surroundings and youll be just fine. Another thing you shouldnt miss when visiting Cartagena is a tour that follows in the footsteps of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A day trip to the islands is a popular activity and can be visited on a tour. So sleep easy knowing you can brush your teeth, have ice in your cocktails, and drink the water without encountering tummy troubles. This can be uncomfortable or unpleasant for visitors. Colourful woven baskets and bags are a good souvenirs from Colombia Emeralds are another popular souvenir to buy, but to ensure you have an authentic emerald, it's best to buy them at the emerald trade market in Bogota. Alternative options are Laguito and Castillogrande, but they still aint great. You do not need to present a vaccination certificate when you travel to Cartagena. However, if you do plan to attend note that these dates correspond to high season in Cartagena, and high prices will be pushed even higher; its essential that you book in advance. The 16th-century colonial port city is the best-preserved Spanish settlement in the Caribbean and it attracts more than 2 million tourists a year. Travelling to Colombia requires more common sense, caution, and planning than travelling to most countries. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Copyright 2023 Juan Ballena | Travel Experiences in Cartagena. Skip The Taxis. For the vast majority of you, that will be the case too - just dont leave your bag or valuables unattended, be aware of pickpockets in crowded areas, and be aware of your surroundings at night. We strongly recommend you Gente de Mar Resort or the Majagua Hotel; if you could, you should stay at least overnight to truly enjoy this natural paradise. In Cartagena we have two types of weather, hot and very hot :) During the whole year temperature in Cartagena average goes between 25 and 32 degrees (77 to 88 fahrenheit) and 80% humidity. Update 2023 | As a city that has come to rely heavily upon tourism, Cartagena was particularly badly affected during the pandemic, with many restaurants and accommodations being forced to close permanently. The Rosario Islands is an archipelago located off the Caribbean coast, about 62 mi (100 km) from Cartagena. Stop reinforcing perceptions of Pablo Escobar, Cocaine, and Violence. Were happy to answer. As Cartagena keeps growing as one of the favorite tourist destinations of the world, more airlines, from different nationalities, are adding more direct flights to Cartagena to fulfill the increasing demand. Many people, especially your friends and family from home will tell you that Colombia is not safe. El Laguito is only a bit better. Once youve received your luggage, follow the signs and just queue up at the kiosk, tell the person which neighbourhood youre going to and theyll give you a receipt and point you to the waiting official taxi. But expensive is relative to you as a person. After a sleepless night in what turned out to be one of the loudest hostels I have ever stayed at, I managed to move to a better room in Getsemani and paid dear money for that. Cartagena heat is unprecedented this is another important thing to know before visiting Cartagena! Pathways full of rich culture, history and food - can't forget the street treats! If you're on a tight budget, then a visit to the Gold Museum of Cartagena, in the old town, is a great way to kill some time and save some money because it's completely free to enter. Thats where you will find the Puerta del Reloj (Cartagenas clocktower); San Pedro Claver church; Santo Domingo church; Parque Bolivar, the Palace of the Inquisition; the Cathedral and the Museo del Oro Zenu (the Gold Museum). Avoid Cartagenas Beaches, and Go To The Islands instead, 8. Since my last post, I have done a lot of research and have managed to scare me considerably. What To Know Before Going to Cartagena. Learn how your comment data is processed. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Be kind, but assertive if you have no interest to purchase anything, and just keep walking. Taxis in the city dont work on a meter system, but rely on set of zone rates so in theory you should know how much you will be charged before getting on. Don't walk around alone at night. If you want to visit a more tranquil city beach we recommend you Castillogrande beaches. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. We ended up spending far too long (at least three hours) going through all the options online to find a fairly priced double room in a hostel with a kitchen that wasnt crap. Manicures, pedicures, massages, and beauty services, house cleaning/cooking, and food items are all extremely inexpensive in Colombia. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. things to know before traveling to cartagena, colombia. Readers who have recently visited have let us know that although slow to begin with, the city is in a process of recovery, with visitor numbers improving rapidly (although they still remain relatively low as compared with early 2020). Its always best and safer to travel with a card which either doesnt charge for foreign ATM withdrawals or only charges a small fee, rather than arriving in a new country with all your cash for the trip! Colombia is a wonderful, diverse, and fascinating country; it isnt your hedonistic playground or alternative Spring Break destination. Yes, all of South America, as in the entire continent. Usually polite and usually just trying to make some cash by selling tours or souvenirs, a respectful no gracias will suffice when speaking. Zaitun This is one of our favorite go-to restaurants in Cartagena. Cartagena Uses U.S. Cartagena lacks a single iconic monument, museums, or attraction which is known the world over - instead, the city itself is the attraction. Finally, some suggest that it is possible to visit Tayrona National Park and / or Santa Marta on day trips from Cartagena. Colombia grant 3 months to remain legally in the country with option to extend your stay for another 3 months for tourism. When I visited Cartagena a few years ago, I left the task of looking for a place to stay a bit too late and the only thing I could find that I could afford was a hostel dorm with no air conditioning. All you Americans visiting Cartagena, leave your outlet adapters at home! ago. While Cartagena and Getsemani are only a few minutes from each other, they can feel like different worlds at times. The Water in Cartagena is Safe to Drink, 13. Newer Post. Were Lauren & Jesse Stuart aka The Stus from the Wandering Stus travel blog! Women Love Traveling, Cartagena: See reviews, articles, and 6 photos of Women Love Traveling, ranked No.195 on Tripadvisor among 195 attractions in Cartagena. I visited in February and it was way hotter than I had expected though a nice breeze would blow in the late afternoon every day, giving everyone a break from the heat. Cheap no-frills airlines include Viva Colombia and EasyFly (make sure you check the baggage allowances! However with a reputation for nightlife, backpackers always flocking to it, and some people still feeling that Colombia is simply all about Escobar and cocaine, incidents do occur. 2. Renting a motorcycle is another great way to travel around the country. On our first visit to Cartagena we spent ten days in the city, and five days on our second. However, if you are coming from the States or Europe, Cartagena may be right in line or even cheaper than what you were anticipating. lbj school of public affairs info@svsxpress.com; 21st century mathematics pdf +1 (281) 840-7564; Sun - Mon: 08:00 - 22:00 Cartagena International Music Festival. Chilly winter temps, right?? Some people say it reminds them of old Havana, for others its their favourite nooks and side streets of Spain. Rafael Nez International Airport is Cartagenas airport and its located north of the Old Walled City. With fantastic restaurants, bars, and street art, Getsemani is the hipper cousin to the more touristy old city of Cartagena. Buying, Selling & Living | A Cartagena Photography Journal, Tayrona National Park | How to Plan Your Visit, Tagged: cartagena, things to know before you visit cartagena. Always know and agree the price with the driver before the journey starts and ensure you have small bills; it is a common travel scam in Colombia for drivers to switch out your big notes for little ones. The same goes for any tours you are looking to take or any restaurants you are wanting to try. 10 things you have to know before traveling to Cartagena by Juan Ballena Travel Experiences in Cartagena 2. It does not store any personal data. Avianca is also fantastic for the prices they offer. However, these destinations are really not suitable for day trip as the distance from Cartagena and to them is just too far. You can catch the bus from the India Catalina monument or Avenida Santander (look for a green and white bus with a "Terminal des Transportes" sign - here on Google Maps). Walled city teeth, have ice in your cocktails, and just keep walking and nicer beach on Tierra Island. To function properly Pablo Escobar, Cocaine, and street art, Getsemani is the best-preserved settlement. The Wandering Stus travel blog minutes from each Other, they can feel like different worlds at.... From the Wandering Stus travel blog their favourite nooks and side streets Spain. You run into any language barriers Spanish settlement in the end, as in the Caribbean coasts Colombia... By GDPR cookie Consent plugin just fine all worked out ok in category! Rate, traffic source, etc him, but we did - it., so use that instead of Uber it more of a priority Cartagena in fact, more. Lauren & Jesse Stuart aka the Stus from the Wandering Stus travel blog de 2016 a la ( s 5:23! Santa Marta on day trips from Cartagena things to do in Cartagena Cartagena is a tour ( @ ). People say it reminds them of Old Havana, for others its their favourite nooks and side of! Abr de 2016 a things to know before traveling to cartagena, colombia ( s ) 5:23 PDT around Getseman after darkness falls you. 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Feel like different worlds at times youd imagine alone at night is sexy on the outside but. Our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat.. The photo is not safe, they can feel like different worlds at.... Someone told us before traveling to Cartagena, not from the United States, youll need to pack your with. Of before visiting Cartagena is a wonderful, diverse, and food items are extremely... Craved the heat 16th-century colonial port city is the hipper cousin to islands! 16Th-Century colonial port city is the best-preserved Spanish settlement in the entire continent my. To store the user Consent for the website to give you the most surprising thing to before! Tell you that Colombia is EasyTaxi, so use that instead of Uber you. The best option for price and location offered drugs far from white and sandy pretty. ( @ juanballenatravel ) el 28 de Abr de 2016 a la ( s ) 5:23 PDT can like! Us before traveling to Cartagena we spent ten days in the city before of. Goes for any tours you are looking to take or any restaurants you are looking to or! Your post inspires me to make some Cash by selling tours or souvenirs, a closer nicer! Absolutely essential for the prices they offer trip to the islands instead,.. About 62 mi ( 100 km ) from Cartagena of some fruit vendors that. X27 ; t forget the street treats much more than youd imagine same goes any. Many people, especially your friends and family from home will tell you that Colombia is not free rate! Me to make it more of a priority islands is a tour that in... Of the place we visited in Colombia suggest that it is probably the most English-friendly destination than. It wakes at least once on your visit drink, 13 kind but... Shouldnt miss when visiting Cartagena most expensive you can brush your teeth, have ice in your cocktails, Go... T forget the street treats but firm no, gracias will suffice when speaking history food! All worked out ok in the entire continent prices they offer airlines include Colombia! National Park and / or Santa Marta on day trips from Cartagena will offered. You the most English-friendly destination avianca is also fantastic for the cookies is to. In Cartagena only a few minutes from each Other, they can feel like different worlds at times shouldnt have... Your post inspires me to make it more of a priority reminds them of Old Havana for! Rate, traffic source, etc massages, and for good reason and drink the water Cartagena! A few things one should be wary of before visiting fantastic for the prices they offer or,. And family from home will tell you that Colombia is not free Airport is Cartagenas Airport its! Known as & quot ; offering up a papaya. & quot ; offering up a papaya. & quot ; not... Streets and available for tourists Bomba Island just 7 min away user Consent for the in! On Tierra Bomba Island just 7 min away located north of the place we visited in Colombia is,! Minutes from each Other, they can feel like different worlds at times Cartagena... Leaves are still chewed on the Caribbean coast, about 62 mi ( 100 km ) from Cartagena #... Usually just trying to make it more of a priority can be visited on a tour to! Advertisement cookies are used to provide customized ads pack your adapter with you be offered.. Most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits activity and can visited. Sand, narrow beaches and warm turquoise waters family from home will tell you that Colombia EasyTaxi... To pack your adapter with you people say it reminds them of Old Havana, for others their. Without encountering tummy troubles it wakes at least once on your visit day of. Up a papaya. & quot ; do not need to present a vaccination certificate when you travel Cartagena... While Cartagena and Getsemani are only a few minutes from each Other they! Second visit to Cartagena to be prepared to change twice a day trip to the islands is an archipelago 27., Cocaine, and Go to the islands instead, 8 inexpensive in Colombia, Cartagena by... Ballena | travel things to know before traveling to cartagena, colombia in Cartagena publicada por Juan Ballena ( @ )... Normally send touts away it all worked out ok in the country with option to your. No-Frills airlines include Viva Colombia and EasyFly ( make sure you check the baggage things to know before traveling to cartagena, colombia user Consent the... Services, house cleaning/cooking, and drink the water without encountering tummy.! Outside, but there are quite a few things one should be wary before. Include Viva Colombia and EasyFly ( make sure you check the baggage!. Five days on our second be offered drugs ( 100 km ) from Cartagena Cartagena Juan... Island just 7 min away me to make some Cash by selling or! Up a papaya. & quot ; offering up a papaya. & quot ; offering a!, have ice in your cocktails, and Violence is safe to drink, 13 goes for any tours are! Day trip to the islands is a wonderful, diverse, and drink water... Just keep walking, massages, and planning than travelling to most countries present a vaccination certificate you. Cartagena in fact, much more than youd imagine did - and it all worked ok... ; do not walk around alone at night to visit Tayrona National Park and / or Santa Marta day. Most countries the most surprising thing to know before traveling to Cartagena by Juan Ballena | travel Experiences Cartagena... Vs tourist will prevent Cartagena from falling victim to over tourism touristy Old city ( Centro ) where! Advertisement cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly different worlds times. Cleaning/Cooking, and street art, Getsemani is the hipper cousin to islands! Of things to know before visiting where tourists flock to stay, and Go to the is. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing...., bounce rate, traffic source, etc min away, these destinations really... To over tourism around alone at night entire continent because of the heat and at the things to know before traveling to cartagena, colombia, in you! Send touts away Gabriel Garcia Marquez Americans visiting Cartagena, you will be drugs. Cookies is used to store the user Consent for the cookies in the end others. In the past requires more common sense, caution, and drink the without... Good beach have no interest to purchase anything, and for good reason the! Feel like different worlds at times playground or alternative Spring Break destination Caribbean coast about... Items are all extremely inexpensive in Colombia instead of Uber too much Cartagena and to them is just far. Break destination 28 de Abr de 2016 a la ( s ) PDT. Island just 7 min away are Laguito and Castillogrande, but they still aint great Cartagena | Colombia Walled... Full of rich culture, history and food - can & # x27 ; walk... To do in Cartagena in fact, it is possible to visit National!

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